1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to a system for managing distributed information system applications, such as networked computer applications, in which an application manager computer interfaces logically to a service control point of a telecommunications network.
2. Background and Description of the Prior Art
The Telecommunications Infrastructure:
The global telecommunications infrastructure is evolving into an "Advanced Intelligent Network" (AIN). Such a network will be much more than a matrix of switches to provide end to end connection. The network will provide network management functions, computer data translation from one computer protocol to another, and many other enhanced services.
Three characteristics of the telecommunications network infrastructure which are significant developments for data networks are:
a. the deployment of packet switching systems for data movement, PA1 b. The implementation of a separate signalling network using data packets, and PA1 c. The incorporation of computer databases into the signalling network for network control functions, such as routing phone calls.
An important characteristic of the modern telecommunications infrastructure is the use of "out-of-band" signalling as described in the industry standard, Common Channel Signalling System Number 7 (CCSS7 or just SS7). Instead of using a portion of the bandwidth of a communication channel for signalling (e.g. dialing a phone number), the signalling information (e.g. dialed digits) is sent over a separate channel (part of a signalling network) as "packets" of digital information. These packets are processed by computer systems which are part of the telecommunications network infrastructure. For example, to make a call, the calling party causes a "call-setup packet" to be transmitted to a computer which is part of the SS7 network structure. This computer, using a database of information and the signalling network, determines whether the connection can be made to the called party and, if so, causes the end-to-end communication line to be established.
Another important characteristic of the modern telecommunications infrastructure is the provision of "bandwidth-on-demand". For example, using Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) services, multiple individual communications channels may be combined to provide one high speed communications channel and then the high speed channel may be separated back into multiple individual communications channels again. Thus, the "bandwidth-on-demand" provides the additional data transmission capacity only for the duration of time when needed.
Distributed Information System Applications:
Meanwhile, the computer industry is evolving into a network of computers, large and small, which need to constantly exchange information and share resources. These networks of computers are often distributed over many locations, encompassing a large geographical area, even including worldwide network interconnection.
An application is defined as a "distributed application" if it is distributed over two or more computer sites connected by a communication network and if it has both a "global application" and autonomous local applications operating independently at two or more of the individual sites. A global application is one which requires accessing data at more than one site.
In the prior art, the coordination and management of global applications over such networks is done by computers which are logically "outside of" the telecommunications network infrastructure, that is the computers which are programmed to coordinate and manage the global applications are not closely integrated into the telecommunications network. This lack of close integration of global applications and the telecommunications network results in a system architecture which is not cost effective because it does not take maximum advantage of telecommunications network resources to minimize the cost of information movement. A need therefore exists for the coordination and management functions of distributed information system applications to be closely integrated into the telecommunications network in order to minimize the cost of information movement across the telecommunication network. Additionally, such close integration would facilitate more robust alternate routing procedures to enable more reliable interconnection management.